Rumour has it
by OtterAndTerrier
Summary: Sequel for "The last shall be first". When Rita Sketer is back in action, everybody knows where's the fun in Quidditch matches for Hermione Granger.  Post-Hogwarts drabble


Finally, the sequel of **The last shall be first**! Thanks a lot to **exartemarte** at Livejournal for his patience. I 've had little time to commit with this, so I've been correcting (and learning) slowly, and he was still there. This may be longer than it should, but I really wanted to write that article (I would have kept writing if it hadn't been long enough). Anyway, enjoy and leave reviews!

Dessi

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**Rumour has it...**

Hermione jumped in her seat when the door to her office was thrown open.

'Did you read _Witch Weekly_?' Ginny panted, clutching at her chest.

'Of course not,' her friend replied, with a light air of superiority.

'Well, you should, now that Rita Skeeter writes for it!'

'She does?' Hermione frowned indignantly.

'Yes, it's the only magazine she can work for, and she relieves her feelings by twisting well-known people's love lives.'

'Did she... write anything about you and Harry this time?'

'You wish,' Ginny replied, throwing the magazine she was holding to Hermione's desk and smirking.

_"My boyfriend and I do it at the CC's changing rooms all the time"_

_Those were the words of one of the "most brilliant young minds" of the Ministry, best known for her involvement in the 'Battle of Hogwarts', Hermione Granger, referring to her long-term relationship with equally well-known Ministry employee Ronald Weasley. A side of her that we missed? By Rita Skeeter_

Hermione's eyes opened wide in horror as she looked up at Ginny. She gasped and sprang to her feet.

'Your mother, she gets the magazine, she will—'

'Mum was looking after Victoire and Dominique at Shell Cottage, so I received it in her place. We can rip out the pages and change the numbers. Is it true?' the redhead asked in a suspicious tone.

But Hermione chose to ignore her and started to read.

_Born to Muggle parents, and a strong character with narrow interests, Hermione Granger probably never expected to fit in at Hogwarts, or to gain such a prominent record or to be so successful in her career._

_An exceptional student, she stood by the The Boy Who Lived during their time at school, and fought alongside him in the Battle of Hogwarts. Harry Potter was thought by many to be undisciplined, arrogant and even irrational; however, Miss Granger, his former partner during one the Hero's most challenging tasks, the Triwizards Tournament (which I had the pleasure to follow closely), was a troublemaker in her own right. Founder of revolutionary groups, such as the infamous Dumbledore's Army, that gained importance during the war, and a risky movement to free house elves, which has certainly contributed to her current position at the Ministry of Magic, she has often been accused of preparing concoctions prohibited at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and of defying authority in order to 'save the day'._

_After a year on the run (that was never adequately explained to the magical community), Granger and Harry Potter broke into Hogwarts just in time for the Battle against You-Know-Who. As the fighters regrouped themselves and the dead were mourned, our witch didn't lose any time—Ronald Weasley, sidekick of Potter for years and who also took part in the battle, stayed at her side until they both vanished together (and you must draw your own conclusions here)._

'How dare she!'

'You're in trouble.'

Ron looked up to find Harry peering into his cubicle, a frown and a smirk competing on his face (something resulting in a rather funny expression).

'Eh?'

'I just met Ginny. You are... er, you're in the news.'

'The news? What for?' Ron frowned himself this time. 'Last week's capture of—?'

'No, no, I mean, you and Hermione are in the news, and, uh...,' Harry paused, clearly enjoying some private joke. 'Not the news, exactly, but in the press.'

'Harry, don't you have some work to do?'

'Weasley! Oi, Weasley, why don't you use Puddlemere's changing rooms instead, they're far nicer!' came a voice from the far side of the office.

Now, that was weird. Ron stood up to have a clear view of whoever was talking to him. 'I don't have time for this,' he growled, and tried to get back to his papers.

'I wouldn't have thought you were so insatiable, Weasley!'

'What I wanted to say was related to that,' Harry said in a lower voice.

'Well, speak up or shut up, Harry, I don't feel like guessing riddles!'

Without delay, Harry threw the magazine onto Ron's desk.

_Granted, with a friend like Potter, it's no wonder that Weasley was greatly overshadowed by the Hero during their years at Hogwarts and beyond. But he has a record of 'achievements' of his own: at the beginning of his second year at Hogwarts, Weasley's family was investigated about the misuse of a flying car that drew the attention of many Muggles as it made its way to the school through the skies of England. Quite absurd, considering that Arthur Weasley is most famous for his devotion to protecting Muggles! Ron, as everybody knows him, was also involved in Harry Potter's many adventures, even breaking into the Ministry (including the ever mysterious Department of Mysteries) to fight Death Eaters (another incident in Potter's life and his battle against Voldemort that was never fully explained). After recovering from the loss of a brother during the battle at Hogwarts in 1998, Weasley started a career as an Auror, once again, following in the steps of his best pal, and helped in the reconstruction of the wizarding world._

_Without thorough research, nobody would ever have guessed what __was going on behind this couple's respectable facade__!_

'Well... that certainly leaves Ron as a successful bloke, right?' George said, passing the magazine to Angelina.

'Mhm. Do you think he's read this already?' she asked, concerned.

'No idea, but I'll make sure he does.' George grinned maliciously. 'That they both do.'

Angelina frowned.

'Do you think your mum has read it?'

'Ah, I won't be the one to give it to her,' he said, chuckling, 'but if she has, I'll be sure to be there this Sunday.'

_Granger and Weasley remained a couple after that May, and have appeared together in public ever since, closer than ever according to many sources. No one would have ever imagined such a future for them, having witnessed their friendship at Hogwarts, which has been described as 'violent and, simply, hard to understand.'_

_After three years together, the pair have recently decided to take their relationship a step further._

_'They are living together,' a source close to the couple confessed to me. 'Hermione told me herself: they can't stay apart from each other for too long.'_

_So, what happened to all those rumours about the war heroes' character incompatibility? Well, given the way the pair have 'spiced up' their relationship, any rumour of a break-up should be dismissed as highly improbable. _

'Ron!'

Hermione practically ripped the magazine apart in order to stop Ron. He kept the same expression of incredulity and embarrassment he had adopted when he started reading, and, like that, he looked up at her. 'Hi.'

'I didn't speak to Rita Skeeter,' said Hermione, 'but I know who has, and why!' She looked quite hysterical, and she approached him before saying in a low voice, 'That bit about the changing rooms... I only said it as a joke: I didn't know she was going to take it seriously, or... or...'

'I haven't reached that part yet,' Ron replied, his mouth bone-dry.

Hermione opened up the magazine, and, closing her eyes for a moment to gain courage, she read.

'"_One of Granger's best friends from school has let slip, unintentionally, of course, but giving me permission to_ _share with my readers, that romantic meetings in public spaces are one of the couple's favourite 'pastimes'. And the Chudley Canons' changing room, being Weasley's favourite team, the selected spot."'_

'I think that's enough,' said Ron, standing up and offering a hand to Hermione. 'Let's go and talk somewhere else,' he added, as the heads turned towards his cubicle on their way past.

'I didn't expect Lavender to believe me,' said Hermione miserably, as soon as they closed the stationery cupboard. 'I only wanted to annoy her. I'm very sorry, Ron, I didn't mean to put us both in the spotlight.'

'Well,' Ron said, in an odd tone. He wasn't looking straight at her, which scared her. 'I suppose we'll just have to... find a new place, right?' As Hermione stood wide-eyed and speechless before him, he had to give up and chuckled. 'I reckon they'll increase their security now, won't they? An article is one thing, but to actually get caught...'

'You aren't upset?'

'Come on, Hermione, it's Skeeter, everybody knows her style by now. You made sure of that.' He grinned and put his arms around her waist. 'Only thing I regret: now they're even less likely to win, without our little ritual to bring them luck.'

'Mhm, sure. Now shut up and let me go, I don't want people thinking that we do it at the Ministry too,' Hermione replied, standing on tiptoe and giving him a quick kiss before heading to the door.

'And who's the one who got them thinking about our naughty life in the first place, love?'


End file.
